We LOVE a good sew-along. And we LOVE a good pattern – especially one that is versatile enough to work with Layer Cakes, Charm Packs or Mini Charms. More importantly, we’d LOVE for you to join us! -Carrie Nelson @ModaFabrics

#sawitloveditmadeit

When is it? January 24 is Moda’s official starting date for the sewing and sew-along.There will be introductory posts on Instagram, Facebook and Moda’s Cutting Table Blog on January 17th.

Where can you join in the sew along? . At your local participating shop (come see us at Rocking Chair Quilts if you can get here). Don’t have a #modaloveshop near you? Join in online: search the hashtag #modalovequilt. on your social media. And on Moda’s social media.

Why a Sew Along? Because sew-alongs are one of the best ways to make sewing-creating fun. Whether you like to create solo or with others.

Sew-alongs also provide terrific opportunities for a visit to your local quilt shop for a bit of in-shop-sewcializing

or….

make your own sew along by meeting up with like minded quilters to create quilts and build the bonds of friendship.

Why the Moda Love Quilt Sew Along? Because you can start with precuts, the Moda love quilt is fun and you will be done pretty quickly . Easy to sew together too - this pattern can be a great teaching quilt for those starting their journey through the quilting nation.

We would LOVE to see what you will stitch together with the Love Quilt pattern! Whereever you share your love quilt projects, be sure and use the hashtag – #modalovequilt.

To get your inspiration rolling here’s a gallery of grabs from the #modalovequilt hashtag.

Quilts by #modamakers from around the world.

What’s NEXT?

Coming soon to RCQ!

January 26, 2019–

Local Quilt Shop Day is a worldwide event designed to raise awareness of the importance of independent quilt shops to the local economy. It is a day for consumers and retailers to celebrate the creative pursuits of quilters, sewists, fabric enthusiasts, and crafters everywhere and to support the local quilt shops that make it all possible.

This event, held annually on the fourth Saturday in January, will be held in 2019 on Saturday, January 26.

Thanks for reading! Until we blog again, be sure to take time out and Enjoy the Sew!® - Carol and staff @RCQ

Enter your name and email below if you'd like to get an email alert when a new blog post is published:

The fun is about to unroll. Here's your invitation to join in with RockingChairQuilts.com and celebrate the mighty Jelly Roll. Many thanks to the folks at Moda Fabrics and Supplies for hosting this awesome event.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

NAtional Jelly Roll Day Saturday, September 15th, 2018,

We are going to get started with the fun TODAY.

Let's be real, a Moda Jelly Roll® is already fun.

The fun is built in:

It's beautiful.

It's sew-able.

It's quilt-able.

It's fun to buy.

It's fun to win.

It's fun to touch.

It's fun to bust open and sew like the wind (since it's already pre-cut for you.)

It's Moda!

Wait.... we already know that those are all intrinsic qualities of a Jelly Roll, but what about that 5th one, "It's fun to win" ?

Rocking Chair Quilts has got you covered on that. Prizes are always fun and why not a Jelly Roll prize? Why not TWENTY Jelly Roll prizes? That's right we are going to give away 20 Moda Jelly rolls to celebrate National Jelly Roll Day on 9-15-2018. To enter for your chance to win a Moda Jelly Roll read on.

Holiday flavored Jelly Rolls. This one is SWELL CHRISTMAS by Urban Chiks for Moda

THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED ON 9/15/2018

HOW CAN I ENTER TO WIN A JELLY ROLL?

Leave your comment on this blog post (below) to enter.

What should you comment about?

Add add a another word to our jelly-roll glossary.

Tell us about your favorite snack to eat and share when you are quilting or with sewing friends.

Or just say hello........

.

Comment by inventing another 'Jelly' term to add to our Jelly Roll glossary,Here's our short list:

.THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED ON 9/15/2018

TWENTY WINNERS IN ALL

Here are the 10 winners selected from all the entries collected in the brick and mortar shop , Thanks for joining in the fun:

Barbara N.

Sandie S.

Rick C.

Kay O.

Chris R.

Donna G.

Gloria F.

Kathy C.

Donna M.

Norma S.

Here are the 10 winners selected from all the online entries, Congratulations to all!

MODA Fabric + Supplies has launched Moda Blockheads Round 2. Every Wednesday (started on June 6th,2018) a new FREE block pattern is released. All the blocks are from Moda Designer's and the patterns will be avaialble on their blogs. Visit the Moda Blog HERE for all the info, links to the patterns and they even have a Blockheads Facebook group.

It's been alot of fun for me so far. You can make you blocks your own way , use your stash or get something new. I have been looking for the right project to sew with the new Christopher Wilson-Tate REGENCY BLUES fabrics from Moda and BLockheads round 2 is it!

Block 3 is Pennsylvania by Carrie Nelson. Link to the Pattern HEREand stop in on the Moda Blog HERE for all the info. I like this one! It was so quick to make, and I think I will make about 30 of them (scrappy blues) into a pleasing throw quilt

I'm a quite a happy camper (summer sew along camper) now that I have broken open my bundle of beautiful Regency Blues. I even made a shirt out of it to wear on my next trip. I will see if I can get a picture of that. It's in my suitcase right now and I dare not open that thing back up since I finally got it zipped ☺

Are you sewing along this summer ? Online, at your local shop, with a group or club? If you have a tale to tell, please share it in the comments below. There are SEW many to choose from. Whether you are sewing on your own or in a group....until we blog again, be sure to take time out to Enjoy the Sew!®

-Carol

Post Script STILL TIME TO ENTER GIVEAWAY: If you didn't already enter our fabric bundle giveaway from my last blog post, CLICK HERE to get to that post and enter for a chance to win this bundle (ends on June 25th , 2018)

PRIZE BUNDLE : CONTEST ENDS 6 • 25 • 2018

SIGN UP BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET AN EMAIL WHEN A NEW BLOGPOST IS PUBLISHED

Swell Christmas fabric collection by Urban Chiks for #modafabrics features cotton & PVC coated prints! Today I'm sharing the projects I made and a few tips for sewing with these coated fabrics.

Sunday afternoons I like to visit my sewing machine and enjoy some fabrics. This week I wanted to try and sew a few things with Swell Christmas by Urban Chiks for Moda Fabrics. Most especially, the 3 PVC coated Swell Christmas prints .

These coated prints are perfect for snack bags, place mats, aprons, bibs , table cloths, zippered pouches, notebook covers and more. There are so many ideas and patterns on line, it didn't take long to find free patterns for these 2 quick to make projects

The scrap bag has self ties that you can use to hang it around the headrest in your car, but it also looks cute with the top folded down so that the coated inside fabric peeks out. I can put one in my car , but I think I will use these for scrap catchers at my sewing table

The zipper pouch really only took 10 minutes to make once I had printed Petit Chou's free pattern and cut out the simple shapes needed for the pouch

I have sewn with the iron on vinyl before, but not with a fabric that was already coated. These 3 PVC coated prints that are part of the Swell Christmas collection were fun and easy to work with.

Sewing with coated fabrics requires a few precautions: avoid pins, the holes they leave won't go away. Instead use wonder clips or binding clips to hold pieces together while stitching.

Be careful if you decide you want to iron your work, test a scrap of your coated fabric on a cooler temperature setting, or risk melting it. For these small projects that I decided to make, I was able to hold things in place with my fingers, so I didn't pin or use clips. Although I didn't use my iron. I did press my seams flat with a wooden press as I worked.

You may have a teflon presser foot that is designed for sewing vinyl and plastic. I found these PVC coated prints from Moda to be SO soft, easy to handle and almost silky to the touch, so I just left my all purpose foot. and had no issues. I only switched to my zipper foot when I wanted to stitch closely to the zipper on the zippered pouch. If you find that the PVC coated fabrics are grabbing or sticking instead of feeding nicely through your machine, by all means use the special presser foot that you may have.

That sweet retro Santa towel is part of a set of Swell Christmas Towels from Moda. I think we should put one set in the kitchen and maybe I will use a second set to make a pillow. what would you make with these holiday towels?

CLICK HERE for Anabelle Short’s list of projects you can make with plastic coated fabrics. Anabelle's list is where I found these 2 projects and so much more. Please share what you made with the Swell Christmas collection #swellchristamsfabrics on Instagram , or post photos on my FACEBOOK page and I will share it forward.

thanks for reading ☺ until we blog again be sure and take some time to Enjoy the Sew!®

You can enter online AND enter in person in our quilt shop (one entry per visit to the shop). 10 goody bags will be awarded from the pool of online entries and 10 will be awarded from the entries we receive in our quilt shop. Only one goody bag prize can be awarded per winner . Giveaway ends on 9•16•2017. READ COMPLETE RULES HERE

You must use some of all 3 of the challenge fat quarter fabrics in your project.

You can add ANY other fabric of your choosing to complete your project.

must be your own design and not from a commercial pattern- (It is OK to use public domain quilt blocks, like stars and log cabins etc).

THINK SMALL: for a quilt, the perimeter (all four sides added together) must be 160” or smaller. OR consider designing a stocking, pillow, tote bag, purse, a set of snack mats, a mini tree skirt etc. Your project must be completed and returned to the shop by Saturday, August 12th, 2017.

Voting will end on Sept 15. The maker with the most votes in the shop AND on line will win a bundle of 12 Fat Quarters. You can vote for as many as you like.Thanks so much for adding your votes!

Save the date: SEPTEMBER 16. 2017

F3

#projectjellyrollPlan to visit Rocking Chair Qullts, in store & online to be a part of National Sew a Jelly Roll Day and to experience F3Wait, what? What is F3 ?
Wait a minute - that looks like math.
F3= fabric + fun + food

(OK, that still looks like math , but I think I like this kind of math) ☺ read on.........

Moda Fabrics / United Notions has designated the 3rd Saturday in September of every year as National Sew A Jelly Roll Day to encourage collectors to tear open a Moda Jelly Roll and make something for themselves, as a gift or for charity! It can be a quilt or a tote bag, a pillowcase or something to wear, it doesn’t matter so long as we seize the day and celebrate the joy of being a maker. Share your day on social media with #projectjellyroll. You might even win a prize!

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to our winner Kathy C!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated.

“Don’t forget your mittens!”

Ooh what could be better on a hot summer afternoon than breaking open this festive bundle of holiday fabrics? Get your summertime stitch on and get started on some holiday quilting projects. The Snowfall collection has a great holiday color palette - cool crisp blues, fresh wintergreens, Christmas reds and creams captured on fabric in snowflakes , candy canes, holly leaves and happy dots.

For Valentine's I am starting with a pile of pinks, reds and some lights for background in my blocks. Look at all that delicious Moda Fabric! This mini would be charming made up in brights, low volume, civil war, ....almost any fabric that makes your quilter's heart happy♥

You'll need to make some Half Square Triangles (HSTs) for your mini Churn Dash blocks. In this tutorial I will showcase using the Creative Grids 4 in 1 Half Square Triangle Ruler CGRBH1 to make my HSTs......But you can create your your HST using any method you like for your little quilt. As long as they will finish to 1" x 1" size .

Creative Grids 4 in 1 Half Square Triangle Ruler (CGRBH1). Click on the ruler photo to learn more about this fun tool and watch a product video too.

TO MAKE THE Half Square Triangles for your blocks use one of the following OPTIONS:

If using the Creative Grids® Half-Square 4-in-1 Triangle Ruler - CGRBH1. FOR EACH BLOCK you will need to cut strips of background and prints 1 ½” x 5” and pair them RST then use your 4 in 1 ruler to cut your HST segments (see illustrated steps below) each 1 ½” x 5” strip will make 4 HSTs – enough for one churndash block. If you want 12 different blocks you can use 12 different prints with your background fabric or you could make all your blocks alike and use only one color print strip with your background strips, or any combination in between.

Use triangle paper that makes 1” finished size HST.

Cut three 1 7/8” x 21”, from these strips cut 24 – 1 7/8” squares then cut on the diagonal to make 48 triangles. These background triangles will then be paired with print triangles to make 4 half square triangle units (HST) for each of your 12 blocks.

Use your OWN preferred method to make the 48 HST units

Blocks – up to 12 different prints - you’ll need a piece 3 x 7 for each block

Cutting:

Cut one 1 ½” square from a variety of prints (this is the center square) you will need 12

See Step 1 under the background cutting. Whichever method you want to use to make 48 HSTs you will need to cut the same size and amount from your variety of prints as you cut have cut from your background fabric.

I will be using the Creative Grids 4 in 1 ruler so I will cut a strip 1 ½” x 5” for each block I want to make. In my sample quilt, I made two or 3 blocks from each of 5 prints until I had a total of 12 blocks

Backing – Fat Quarter will work for your backing

Sewing:

MAKE BARS AND BACKGROUND UNITS: Using the 1” x 21” background and border strips. Pair a background strip to a border strip and sew with ¼” seam allowance. Repeat to make a total of four. Cut the sewn strip sets into 48) 1 ½” segments. They should measure 1 ½” x 1 ½” when pressed open.

USING THE CREATIVE GRIDS 4 IN 1 RULER TO MAKE YOUR HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES

start with strips cut 1 1/2" wide

with strips RST use your ruler to cut

triangle segements

stitch on longest edge and press open

MAKING HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE UNITS (HSTs) Pair each print 1 ½” wide strip RST (right sides together) with a 1 ½” background strip. Use your CGR 4 in 1 ruler* to cut sets of triangles. Chain piece paired triangles using a ¼” seam along the longest edge of the triangle pair. Press open and admire your work ☺*refer to markings on the ruler OR the printed instructions that come with the ruler for placement before cutting

ASSEMBLE BLOCKS:

Stitch together as shown, use 1/4" seams throughout. Press and square up to 3 1/2" (unfinished size) if needed. Make 12 Blocks

QUILT ASSEMBLY:

Layout your blocks in 4 rows of 3, in an arrangement that pleases you. Using a 1” x WOF sashing strip, Cut 8) 1” x 3 ½” pieces. Sew these pieces to the right side of the first 2 blocks in each row. Press toward the sashing. Sew the rows of 3 together and press toward the sashing. Using the rest of the 1” sashing strips sew a strip between the rows as pictured.

Add the 2 1/2" border strips to the sides, press towards the border

Add the 2 1/2" border strips to the top and bottom. Press to the border. Layer, quilt, bind and then LOVE your quilt♥

If you make this mini , we'd love to see your version, please share a photo with us:

SUPER HEROES ON THE GO

Tote & Simple Wallet: A free pattern from RockingChairQuilts.com

Do you know Moda Man? The saga of how he saves a damsel in distress is captured forever on a fine cotton canvas. We have been enjoying this 'Super Heroes In Disguise' fabric from Moda United Notions here at RockingChairQuilts.com. We first met Moda Man in Moda City at 2016 Fall Quilt Market in Houston. When this amusing fabric arrived here at the shop, we got busy and made this roomy Super Heroes on the Go Tote Bag and a simple wallet. This is a big, roomy tote because of its flat bottom . It makes a great re-usable grocery tote - or maybe it could be used to carry a lot of quilty items out of your local quilt shop ;) Thanks so much to the kind folks at Moda Fabrics for keeping our quilting life full of wonderful choices!

The 'Super Heroes In Disguise' fabric is directional so we have some tips for you on cutting out the bag panels. Then, when you stitch them together your Super Heroes are all headed in the right direction on your finished tote.

Start with 2/3 of a yard of Moda Super Heroes canvas fabric. Trim off the selvedge edges and the fold edge with a rotary cutter. Keep the edges square and straight.

Double thickness of canvas fabric is shown here.

cut out bag front and back, then cut 2 pieces 9" x 22" to make sides/bottom panel of your tote, as shown.

Photo #8

Put the two 9" x 22" side/bottom pieces right sides together making sure the images will be facing upright on both sides of your bag, then sew (or serge) them together with 1/4" seam along the bottom 9" edge. (bottom center seam)

1. Fold black handle pieces in half lengthwise and press. Open and fold edges in to middle. Refold and press. Open handle fabric back out and Place cut strip of Décor Bond with one edge along center pressed line in fabric. Press Décor Bond in place,

3. Reinforce bottom corners of tote front and back with stay stitching ¼” from tote edge and clip corners to stay stitching. This will help ease the bag corner seam as you stitch the front and back pieces to the long sides/bottom panel.

Place inside edge of handle 3" in from each edge of front. Top stitch both sides of handle to bag, but STOP stitching about 5" from the top (see picture #4). Repeat with back piece.

2. After pressing Décor Bond in place, refold edges of handle fabric back to middle enclosing the strip of Décor bond inside the handle fabric. Baste with matching Aurifil thread along open edges of handle .

4. STOP stitching about 5" from the top of the bag. Repeat with back piece. (you will finish stitching the handles down after you hem the top of your bag).

5. Pin front piece RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER to the long seamed side/bottom panel 9" x 43 1/2" (clipping seam allowance to stay stitching where needed and pivoting at corners). Stitch. Repeat with back piece.

Press seams toward sides. Optional: seams can then be finished with zigzag stitching or serging. Be careful to keep handles free.

6. Fold down 1 ½” all along top edge of tote and press. Now turn raw edge under 1⁄4" and press. Pin in place if needed. Then stitch top hem in place keeping handles free.

7. Now ....where you had left the top 5” of the handles free from the bag- it is time to stitch those down. SO Continue top stitching handles to outside of tote and all along handle edges, over basting. To secure, reinforcing by stitching an X or a box at top edge of tote.

8. Optional: Cover 12" x 8 1/2" cardboard rectangle with fabric and place in bottom of tote. Sometimes instead of cardboard I cut my tote rectangles out of old rotary cutting mats that have gotten too cut up to use for anything else. They don't bend or get soggy like cardboard sometimes does ☺.

SIMPLE WALLET

CUTTING:

Cut 2 rectangles 8” x 4 ¼” canvas (outside wallet piece) *NOTE: because your outside wallet fabric is directional you will cut 2 rectangles 8” x 4 ¼” then pivot one of the rectangles 180 degrees . (See photo #9) Now stitch the two 8 x 4 ¼” rectangles (right sides together) along the 8” edge. This stitched piece should now measure 8” x 8”. This is done so that the directional print of your SUPER HEROES fabric will be going in the right direction when you look at the outside of your wallet. If you don’t mind where your superheroes are headed you can just cut one 8” x 8” square for the outside piece of your wallet.

Cut one 8" square* canvas (inside)

Cut one 8" square Decor Bond (optional)

POCKETS from SUPERHEROES CANVAS (photo #10):

Cut two 8"x 7" (large pockets)

Cut two 8"x 4" (smallest pockets)

from Moda Bella Solid cut two 8"x 51⁄2" (middle pockets)

BINDING FABRIC: from Moda Bella Solid Cut one 1 1⁄2"x 34" (binding). If you want to cut your binding fabric on the bias you will need more fabric than the 1/8 yard shown in materials list.

Photo # 10 : Cut 2 each of the 3 pocket pieces: small (canvas), middle (black) and large (canvas).

Photo #9

Photo #11: Press all pockets in half lengthwise, Right sides together

Photo #12: stack pressed pocket pieces, keeping raw edges even.

ASSEMBLY: Fold all pieces for pockets in half lengthwise and press (photo #11). Place optional square of Décor Bond on the wrong side of the inside 8" wallet canvas fabric square, press to secure the Decor Bond to the wallet square. Put the inside and outside 8" wallet squares wrong sides together, with inside wallet fabric facing up. Beginning with largest pocket, place on inside aligning edges and bottom on top and bottom of wallet. Continue with each pocket. Baste around all edges. Catching in all layers.

FINISHING: Fold 1-1⁄2"x 34" BINDING piece in half lengthwise and press. Open and fold edges to middle. Refold and press. Stitch binding to of basted edge of simple wallet, pivoting/mitering at corners so they lay nicely. (or cut and apply binding with your favorite method).

Thanks for reading - I hope you will enjoy making a tote , This is a big, roomy tote because of its flat bottom . It makes a great re-usable grocery tote - or maybe it could be used to carry a lot of quilty items out of your local quilt shop. It would be fun to make using other pretty fabrics as well. If you decide to make one, please share a picture of your finished tote:

Introducing Cake Mix Recipe Papers from Miss Rosie's Quilt Company

What's all the hub-bub about cake? Well it's cake after all (my favorite is chocolate with chocolate frosting ☺) . but because it's January I am trying to make some lower calorie/better calorie choices for my daily indulgence........when - HELLO ! - along comes quilting genius Carrie Nelson with a calorie free solution for me.

Deeply satisfying, certainly an indulgence, I can partake as often as I wish and never have to log a single calorie in my smartphone's fitness app.

So what is a Cake Mix? It’s a 10″ x 10″ pad of triangle paper sized for using with Layer Cakes. There are 45 sheets in each pad – one for each piece of fabric in a Layer Cake plus a few extras for “testing”. (click on the Cake Mix images below to see more details for each)

*Recipes? There are four different grids so there are 4 different recipes. Two of the recipes make two different sizes of half-triangle squares from the same paper, and the remaining two recipes make a single size half-triangle square on each sheet.

Each recipe pad includes at least four block options for the HTSs made with that recipe grid. There is also information on simple settings and layouts, and how big the quilts would be.

The specifics about each Cake Mix are:

Recipe 1 – 4″ and 8″ finished

Recipe 2– 2 1/4″ and 4 1/2″ finished.

Recipe 3 – 2″ finished

Recipe 4 – 4″ and/or 3 3/4″ finished

The number of recipe cards required to make a block varies – it depends on the block and the recipe.… it’s kind of like how many slices of cake you can get from a 9″ square cake. It all depends on how you cut it – squares or rectangles – and how big the pieces are.

Each Cake Mix pad includes a quote from Julia Child. My favorite is – "A party without cake is just a meeting." Layer Cakes and Cake Mixes.*

Here is Carrie's Video Demo of her Cake Mix 2 Recipe:

Just to get your thinker thinking, here is a collage of the quilts the crew over at Moda have been making.. We are working on some cake mix quilts here at the shop and hope to add our photos here too. (A click on each picture will enlarge it)

Thanks Carrie! Miss Rosie's Quilt Company's designs and patterns are always on the top of our list.

Thanks to all of you who are reading this post - if you are dreaming of making a cake mix quilt, and your dream becomes a REAL quilt we would love to see your photos too.

Sixteen weeks of sewing and sharing has gone spinning by sew quickly. Here is a wrap up of what's happening this week as we finish up our Quilt - A- Long:

If you have your quilt put together please share a photo and we will post it here in our Quilt Gallery. See how to share a photo below

Your quilt doesn't have to be quilted -later when the quilting gets finished you can send a another photo of it if you'd like.

We had as many as 53 different quilters sharing block photos for this quilt along. AND....the highest number of pattern downloads in a given week was 836! Wow that was for block # 4, for most of the weeks we had a range of 400 to 700 patterns being downloaded from the blog posts. That is a LOT of neighborhoods.

Our final prize winner for those sharing a photo of Block #16 has been selected in a random drawing. Congratulations to Susan Garofalo!

As a thank you to everyone who has stopped in to read the blog - whether or not you enjoyed the free patterns from Moda or have sewn a stitch on a neighborhood block- we are sharing a free pattern for you today- it's my Standing Tree Block . This block has instructions to sew it in EITHER 6" or 12" finished sizes. I have included some photos of what we made here at the shop with this block. While the pictures we are showing you today are holiday themed - you could use any fabric to change up the feel of this block and create your own project. Anything from a mug mat to a bed size quilt - whatever makes you happy.

A mini quilt made with 6" blocks and quilted with Razzle Dazzle silver thread

Ben is here to help you select some fabric☺

We made a small hanging using a 12" block and some strips and scraps of Christmas fabric.